Ancient Bell Corridor

　　The Ancient Bell Corridor was built in 2003 and displays 10 ancient iron bells collected from 24 townships across the county. Among them, the large iron bell collected from Haoping Temple Village in Jianchi Township is the largest in size, highest in quality, and oldest in history, making it the crown jewel of the collection.

　　The Haoping Temple Bell is made of iron and was cast in the second year of the Shaoding era (1229) during the Southern Song Dynasty. The bell stands 2.25 meters tall and has a wavy mouth. The circumference of the bell’s mouth is 4.27 meters, with a thickness of 13 centimeters, and it weighs approximately six tons. The body of the bell is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, divided into three sections. The upper section is divided into eight panels, each inscribed with seal script characters including “Long Live the Emperor,” “Prosperity for Distinguished Ministers,” “Constant Rotation,” and “Buddha’s Light Shines Brightly,” totaling 16 characters. These are interspersed with carvings of civil and military officials. The middle section also has eight panels; opposite the four panels with figures are nine large bosses, while the other four, facing the seal script, contain inscriptions. These inscriptions record the purpose of casting the bell, the names of 28 leading monks, 11 local officials, and over 180 donors—including believers and local residents from Xixiang, Xinguangdao, and Nanzheng—who contributed money, iron, or charcoal. The lower section is cast with patterns of mountains, flying apsaras, and qilin. In 1984, the county government designated the Haoping Temple Bell as a key cultural relic under local protection. In 1989, it was recognized as a national first-class relic following provincial appraisal. On May 27, 1992, it was moved to the county cultural relics management office for preservation.

　　Inscription on the Haoping Temple Bell: “In the great Song dynasty, in Yangzhou’s Xixiang County, Youxian Township, Ma Zongbao, by imperial decree, bestowed the Fuan Monastery. The monk Huiyi, seeing that the old bell had deteriorated and needed replacing, relied on the support of the monastic community to accomplish this. Where there is giving, there must be reward. Thus, we, the Buddhist disciples, pray for the casting of a new grand bell, so that blessings may spread far and wide. We earnestly hope that the divine sound will resound mightily, ensuring the nation’s eternal prosperity. May its toll awaken all, dispelling the lingering miasma from the borders, and like a clarion call, guide the lost masses back to the right path. May all sentient beings ascend to the Pure Land. Recorded on the tenth day of the first lunar month in the second year of Shaoding (1229), on the cyclical day of Gengmao, a propitious time. Composed by Miao Tailai.”

　　Legend has it that on the day the great bell was completed, the lead monk craftsman who oversaw its casting was about to leave. Before departing, he instructed that the bell should not be rung until he had gone far away. The farther he went, the farther the bell’s sound would carry, and the greater the blessings would be. When the monk had traveled more than ten li, the crowd could no longer contain their excitement and struck the grand bell. Even so, the sound of the bell crossed mountains and valleys, remaining clearly audible within a radius of ten li.

　　There are also three other iron bells from the Ming Dynasty—one cast on the tenth day of the ninth lunar month in the 18th year of the Chenghua era, another made on the 20th day of the 10th lunar month in the renshi year of the Hongzhi era, and one simply labeled as being from the Great Ming era, though its exact date is unknown. The rest were cast during the Qing Dynasty or the Republican era.

　　In ancient China, bells were often cast to commemorate events. The tolling of a great bell served as a reminder for people to remember and reflect, hence the saying “the warning bell tolls ceaselessly.” This gave rise to a unique bell culture. With so many ancient bells displayed together in a single corridor, Zhenba showcases even greater cultural charm and historical depth.